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INTERCOT Insider
March 2007 - Edition Two |
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<<
Introduction >>
Spring has sprung and this jam-packed edition of the Insider is also about
to. In this edition we cover the new home of Turtle Talk with Crush, the
latest deals, some more time-share tips, and countdown favorite exhibits at
the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival. If that wasn’t enough, we also introduce
a new monthly column. Hang on—it’s Insider Time!
<<
Imagineering INTERCOT! >>
- INTERCOT Announces Server Drive -
As we prepare to enter our second decade online, the time has come to take
INTERCOT to the next level. So, we've decided to give you a chance to have a
hand in the Imagineering of INTERCOT and the dedication of a new and
improved web server! As a bonus... if you can help - we're going to give YOU
something back as our way of saying thank you! Can you say Custom Avatars
and Imagineering T-shirts? Time is running out. The Server Drive ends on
April 20, 2007.
More Information
Here!
<< Spring Accommodation Deals >>
- Late Spring
Savings -
Disney has released room-only discounts for April 15 - 19, April 22 - 26,
and April 29 - May 23 at select resorts. Typical discounts include $84 per
night plus tax at select Disney Value Resorts in a standard room, $139 per
night plus tax at select Disney Moderate Resorts in a standard room, and
$174.00 per night plus tax at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge & Disney’s
Wilderness Lodge in a standard room. The number of rooms available at this
rate is limited. Additional per adult charges apply if more than two adult
occupancy.
Details & Discussion Here
Magical Journeys
- Radisson Resort Discounts
for INTERCOTees -
The Radisson Resort Orlando - Celebration is offering visitors of INTERCOT
exclusive discounted room rates for travel dates of April 9 through June 30,
2007. Room rates are being offered as low as $99 per night from April 9th –
April 28 and $79 from April 29th – June 30th. The Radisson Resort Orlando is
a Disney Good Neighbor Hotel and is located only 1.5 miles from Walt Disney
World. Visit the links below for details on pricing and to make
reservations. Call today and save!
More Information
Reserve A Room Now
<< INTERCOT Hot Topics >>
The INTERCOT Discussion Boards are filled with great topics that can
help you plan a Walt Disney World trip. Many of them involve a large number
of INTERCOTee’s sharing their advice and personal experiences. In this new
monthly column the Insider will highlight some of the most discussed topics
in the Theme Parks, Accommodations, and Dining forums from the past month.
The Insider hopes this will bring attention to some great advice you may
have missed on the boards or at least be a nice reference for you to look
back at while planning a trip. With out further adieu let’s look at the Hot
Topics for March 2007.
- Best Epcot country to kill time in? -
ParrotheadMinni asked INTERCOTee’s what their favorite World Showcase
pavilion is to “kill time” in. Here’s some of the opinions INTERCOTee’s
shared:
“I'd go with Japan, I can wander around for ages in the shop there looking
at all the interesting trinkets and snack foods. Also if you're there in the
afternoon and catch the entertainment the drummers are incredible and so is
the candy maker.” -- jkj1224
“UK is great, especially in the garden if the Beatles are playing. We
enjoyed the clown in the courtyard in Italy.”-- wdw_bound
“France gets my vote. If you like wine, you can purchase the "sampler" in
the wine shop, with a few ounces of a white, a blush, and a red. You can
then sit by the fountain and watch the people go by. Or go into the
patisserie and purchase something delicious.”-- kathymk616
“I’d have to say Morocco. It some of the best scenery in World Showcase and
plenty of things to look at in the shops.”-- SubNET3
“Canada or the American Pavilion. In America, I would take in the Voices of
Liberty Pre-show, our whole family loves this and the acoustics in the
rotunda are absolutely awesome. Canada has Off Kilter, the cool mountain
terrain to take in, and one of my favorite small shops, Northwest
Mercantile.”-- jclightchasr
- Have you ever missed the last bus?-
kadesha inquired as to what to do if you miss the last bus going back to
your resort after the fireworks. Here’s some of the advice other
INTERCOTee’s had give:
“The buses generally run for about 2 hours after the official closing time
for a park. Even if you miss the last bus, there should be a CM around
somewhere that you can notify and they will contact Disney Transportation to
send someone to take you to your resort. Don't worry, you won't be left
behind!”
-- kakn7294
“There really isn't a last bus. They make sure the park is clear before they
send all buses away for the night. If you are in the park there will be a
bus for you. They'll politely shoo you out if you linger too long.”--
bobpfef
“Linger after the park closes. Do not worry about missing the last bus. Keep
an eye on your watch, and head to the bus stop 30-to-45 minutes after
everybody else. The line will be gone, and you just enjoyed extra shopping
time while everybody else was participating in the mass exodus that is
closing time at a Disney theme park.”-- Disney_nut
-Earl of Sandwich?-
Donald Duck 224 wanted to know other INTERCOTee’s opinions on the relatively
new Downtown Disney eatery, The Earl of Sandwich. Here’s some of the
opinions INTERCOTee’s shared:
“They have the best sandwich I've ever eaten. Try them at least once if you
can. I love ‘The Original 1762’ without the cheese. Delicious” --
mrsgaribaldi
“The Earl of Sandwich is a MUST DO for us!! In fact, on our last trip, we
must have done it at least 3 times. The sandwiches are so good! My favorite
is the Cannonball (meatball) sandwich. My DDs love the PizzaSandwich. Very
yummy and very well priced. The bread they use is amazing!” -- HndrdPrcnt
“My family and I are big fans. Even my sister, the pickiest of eaters, loved
her sandwich.”-- Meteora
“Earl of Sandwich is very good. If you are looking for a quick meal on the
go it is one of the best. They offer a lot of specialty sandwiches and/or
soups that are very good for the price.”-- Vinny
“We've eaten there a couple of times, the food was good. They also had
little side dishes of potato salad, cole slaw etc. The lines can be quite
long, but moves fairly quickly. And by Disney standards, it's fairly
inexpensive.” -- PAYROLL PRINCESS
-What's a good check-in time?-
jennsky wanted to know if other INTERCOTee’s had found a check-in time at
Disney Resorts when the lines were either short or non-existent. Here’s what
some INTERCOTee’s suggested:
“We have only had to wait once out the past years for our room. We have
gotten there as early at 10 a.m. and late as 2 p.m.”-- Catzle
“We normally leave late afternoon, early evening which puts us at the resort
anytime between 6 am and 10 am depending on if we stop on International
Drive for breakfast. That time of morning there is rarely anyone else in
line.” -- Jasper
“In September, we arrived at Caribbean Beach at 8am and not only was there
no lines, they had rooms ready and upgraded us for free. We checked in and
deposited our luggage in less than 20 minutes and were off to our first full
day at the park”—kathiep
Thanks to our topic starters for asking such great questions, and thanks to
all of those who responded for sharing their insight and experiences.
<<
That’s Entertainment! with Piglet822 >>
- Turtle Talk with Crush –
I've been lucky enough to experience Turtle Talk with Crush on several
occasions and it's a must see for me every time I go to Epcot.
A few weeks ago I got to experience Turtle Talk for the first time in their
new theatre. A few pros and cons. There seems to be more seating, I've been
to the new theatre twice now and have not noticed anyone standing. In fact,
the last time I was there one of the Cast Members was asking folks to move
over and moved the people who were standing by the back wall to seats. The
theater holds approximately 200 people, and this includes the children on
the floor area.
The first thing I noticed was how large the waiting area is now. For those
of you that have not been to Turtle Talk since the change, the theatre is
now located in the area that once held the aquariums. There are bright
colorful posters on the wall of coral as well as several aquariums in the
new pre-show area. Things are still being added. On this last visit I
noticed that on the left and right just before you enter the theatre area,
are two large water filled tanks. The last time I was there were walls
there, so progress is being made. This is a good addition, it gives adults
and children something to look at and help the time pass while waiting to
enter.
The one thing I did not like about the new setup is that you enter from the
front of the theater rather than the back like before. Everyone immediately
wants to grab the front rows, but Cast Members are adamant about moving
everyone back and leaving the front row open for the kids who are not able
to find a spot on the floor. Adults will be allowed up front if they have
smaller children.
The show is the same; Crush is still trying to find out information about
the human world while he shares with us information about the turtle world.
And as always, the children make the show quite unpredictable. Such as the
young man who asked Crush if he remembered him from last year.
So Dudes, if you've not yet seen Turtle Talk, please do so. Don't worry if
you don't have small children. I've gone alone and with other adults and
have always enjoyed myself and always gotten quite the laugh from the antics
of Crush and the "hatchlings" in the human tank.
Turtle Talk with Crush
<<
Timeshare Tips >>
by The Timeshare Store
If you have checked the listings available for purchase on The Timeshare
Store’s website you have noticed that each Disney Vacation Club resort
demands a different price per point. The selling price is based on supply
and demand.
For example, you will notice that the Beach Club Villas sell for more per
point than any of the other resorts. The Beach Club is the smallest of the
DVC resorts. It has the advantage of being a 5 minute walk from the
International Gateway entrance to Epcot and Storm-a-long Bay is the most
family-friendly pool of any of the Walt Disney World resorts.
Other DVC resorts sell for less per point since they are larger resorts with
more resale listings available. What is so attractive to members of the
Disney Vacation Club about the points that they receive every year is those
points will never change.
When Disney opens a new DVC resort, they set a point chart for each day of
the week and each room during each travel season of the year. That point
chart will remain unchanged until the membership at that resort ends. So if
it is 16 points a night for a one bedroom at Old Key West in September this
year, it will be the same 16 points a night for the same room at the same
time of year 30 years from now. Inflation never affects your points.
You can view current points charts for all DVC resorts on our website.
Decide which season of the year is your favorite time of year to visit the
“magic” and what size accommodation best suits your family, and how long you
want to stay and you will then know what size membership is best for you.
Call The Timeshare Store and any of our associates would be more than happy
to answer your questions about the right size membership for you and your
family.
Timeshare Store
<<
INTERCOTee Top 5 … Flower & Garden Exhibits >>
The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is about to bloom for the
2007 season, offering a bouquet of extra special exhibits. With so many
exhibits blossoming in every corner of the park it can be a bit daunting to
try to plan a day at the Festival. To help with your Festival planning, the
Insider has reviewed past discussions and pruned down the list to the
INTERCOTee Top 5 Favorite Flower and Garden Festival Exhibits.
Coming in at number 5 … Fragrance Garden
Located in World Showcase’s France pavilion, this exhibit showcases flowers’
fragrance capabilities. Guided tours are scheduled three times daily to show
Guests how Guerlain transforms foliage into their signature fragrances.
Guests can sign up for the tours at the Guerlain section of the La Signature
shop.
Coming in at number 4 … Tinker Bell's Fairy Garden
This whimsical garden can be found near Future World’s Imagination Pavilion.
Designed for littler Guests (ages 2-5) to frolic through, this exhibit has
been expanded for the 2007 festival to include even more fairy surprises.
Coming in at number 3 … Growing Future Gardeners
This family-oriented exhibit is located near the Germany pavilion in World
Showcase. Doubling in size for the 2007 Festival, this exhibit promises to
showcase even more ways for families to start a garden at home. This exhibit
also offers a festival-only children’s play area and twice-daily Ladybug
Releases.
Coming in at number 2 … Minnie's Magnificent Butterfly Garden
Located near Future World’s Test Track pavilion, this caged exhibit features
colorful foliage with hundreds of free flying butterflies. In addition to
the flurries of butterflies, this exhibit also features a showcase of the
metamorphous process of chrysalis to butterfly.
And coming in at number 1 … Flower Power Concert
The American Gardens Theater is budding with music during this Festival-only
concert series. Showcasing music from the 1960’s and 1970’s, the groovy
line-up for 2007 features Davy Jones, The Guess Who, The Buckinghams and
more. Most performances are scheduled three times daily.
That’s it for this countdown, hope it’s helped with your Festival planning.
The 2007 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival runs daily April 5
through June 3 and is included with Theme Park admission.
<<
Conclusion >>
That wraps up this issue. Thanks to our contributors and thanks to all our
readers. The Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor and the Gran Fiesta Tour are both
opening the first week of April at the Walt Disney World resort, look for
future editions of the Insider to cover these two new exciting attractions!
See ya real soon!
<< INTERCOT Would Like To Thank>>The INTERCOT Insider and INTERCOT.com
are supported by the following sponsors who in turn, help us bring the Magic
to you!
All Star
Vacation Homes
When you need a home away from home, look no further. From comfort to
luxury, All Star Vacation Homes has it all in four series of homes to fit
any taste and any budget just moments from the magic of Walt Disney World!
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Magical Journeys
Magical Journeys is your Disney Vacation specialist. Start planning your
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Website:
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Official Ticket
Center
Walt Disney
World’s, Universal Studios and Sea World’s #1 guest service provider for the
last 3 years. The Official Ticket Center has been servicing vacationers for
more than 7 years now and sells tickets only, at a discount price.
Website:
http://www.officialticketcenter.com/default.aspx?affid=TC21LBC
Radisson Resort
Parkway
Right in the heart of action! Only 1.5 miles from Walt Disney World is an
oasis of ponds, beautiful landscaping, serene waterfalls and relaxing
options hiding in every corner.
Website:
http://orlando.guestselectresorts.com?pid=INTERCOTN
The Timeshare Store
The #1 Disney Vacation Club Reseller in the World. See how easy and
affordable it is to purchase your very own piece of the MAGIC!
Website: http://www.dvc-resales.com/
Garden Grocer
GardenGrocer.com allows you to spend more time doing the things you want to
do on your vacation and less time at the supermarket.
Website: http://www.gardengrocer.com/
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